Home brewing is a perfect hobby for any beer enthusiast. And with all of the great seasonal brews in the fall, now is the perfect time to try making your very own beer. From pumpkin ales to oktoberfests, who doesn’t love a great fall brew?

For first-time home brewers, the process may seem like it’s a bit complicated. But once you get your first batch going, you will see how easy and fun making your own beer really is. Here are a few tips for anyone just starting out.

What you will need

There are a lot of tools and equipment you will use when making beer. However, there are plenty of places on Long Island where you can buy pre-made home brewing kits. Click here for more information on these pieces of equipment.

Boiling pot (1.5 - 5 gallons)

Large stirring spoon

Measuring cup

Strainer

Thermometer

Cleaner and sanitizer

Fermentor (usually a large plastic bucket)

Airlock and bung

Racking cane

Bottling bucket

Bottle filler

Bottle brush

Bottles and caps

Bottle capper

Ingredients

Although ingredients are a very important part of your home brew, you may be surprised to find out that the actual brewing process itself plays just as much of a role in how your beer will taste. Recipes can be found online or at your local brewing store. These are some basic ingredients you will most likely use for these three popular brews:

Oktoberfest: These beers are usually heavy in malt. Some recipes call for as many as five different types of malt in one beer. You will also be using hops, among the other basic ingredients.

Pumpkin Ale: This may be a little complicated for beginning home brewers, as the pumpkins need to be specially prepared for most recipes. But nobody is saying you can’t try to make a great pumpkin brew on your first try! You will also be using cinnamon, ginger root, nutmeg and malt in many recipes.

India Pale Ale (IPA): Hops are the big ingredient for just about all IPAs. You will also be using wheat, barley and malt.

Brewing process

Click here for a step-by-step guide to brewing. This will give you an idea of what you are in for for your first home brew. The entire process takes about a month or two. This depends entirely upon the type of beer you want to make and what the particular recipe calls for when brewing.

Hopefully you now have a better idea of what goes into the process of making your own beer. Not in the mood to start your own brew? Check out these local Long Island breweries to enjoy some great beers with none of the work!